Gaming Guru

New Television Show Hits Jackpot

A vast audience of recreational gambling enthusiasts has been cultivated in the Chicago-area the past decade. Casual players who used to restrict their gaming ventures to Las Vegas once or twice each year have the convenience of casino action in their own backyards any day, virtually any time.

Going hand in hand with the creation of this new leisure-time market is a desire from people who are interested in casino gambling to be informed and educated about this fascinating entertainment alternative.

Information on television about the goings-on in the local casino gambling market was virtually nonexistent, but with the debut last month of Casino Television on WCIU-TV (Channel 26), that void has been filled most efficiently.

At least for the present, Casino Television will air on the first Saturday of each month at 1:30 am and repeat at 9:00 am. The thirty-minute feature-based program is owned and produced by AndyCam Productions, a local-based independent production company.

The debut of Casino Television underscores the fact there is a lot more to recreational casino gambling than the games themselves. The casino properties in the Chicago-area cover the whole gamut of leisure time fun, from the gaming action, to fine dining, to sights and attractions, and even live Las Vegas-caliber entertainment.

The new program addresses all of these aspects of the local gaming scene. The show's co-host, marketing expert Jim Murphy, is a seasoned veteran of the gaming industry. He is the former senior director of marketing and public relations for the Empress Casino Joliet. Murphy also was the coordinator of a couple of Chicago-area gaming expos that were held several years ago.

"The focus of Casino Television will be to bring stories of interest to the better-than-average slots and table games players," Murphy said. "In addition to highlighting the gaming properties in the Chicago-area, I want to bring gaming fans the behind-the-scenes stories."

The format is for the show to be hosted from a different Chicago-area casino each month. Aside from updates on new casino games and player strategies, there will be an emphasis on the culinary options that are available at the casinos.

"As an example, I want to try to interview the executive chef at each of the upscale casino restaurants," Murphy noted. "Perhaps talking about a favorite recipe or video tape the chef actually preparing one of the most popular menu items.

"I want the show to be as informative and entertaining as possible. We'll spotlight a "Play of the Month" in which a gaming expert will detail a particular playing strategy at one of the games."

Co-hosting alongside Murphy is Irene Mojica, the former mid-day personality on WGCI-FM and a participant in a variety of regional and national television projects.

This article is provided by the Frank Scoblete Network. Melissa A. Kaplan is the network's managing editor. If you would like to use this article on your website, please contact Casino City Press, the exclusive web syndication outlet for the Frank Scoblete Network. To contact Frank, please e-mail him at fscobe@optonline.net.

John G. Brokopp's gaming column appears in Chicago Sun Times (Chicago, Illinois), The Times (Northwest Indiana), The Quad City Times (Davenport, Iowa), The Courier News (Elgin, Illinois), The Gazette (Southwest Suburban Chicago) and Senior Wire (Denver, CO). He's also a regular contributor to The Colorado Gambler, Midwest Gaming & Travel, Casino Player and Strictly Slots. John possesses 28 years of experience as a professional handicapper, publicist, freelance writer, and casino gaming correspondent. He is also the author of two very popular books, The Insider’s Guide to Internet Gambling and Thrifty Gambling.

Books by John G. Brokopp:

John G. Brokopp's gaming column appears in Chicago Sun Times (Chicago, Illinois), The Times (Northwest Indiana), The Quad City Times (Davenport, Iowa), The Courier News (Elgin, Illinois), The Gazette (Southwest Suburban Chicago) and Senior Wire (Denver, CO). He's also a regular contributor to The Colorado Gambler, Midwest Gaming & Travel, Casino Player and Strictly Slots. John possesses 28 years of experience as a professional handicapper, publicist, freelance writer, and casino gaming correspondent. He is also the author of two very popular books, The Insider’s Guide to Internet Gambling and Thrifty Gambling.

Books by John G. Brokopp:

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